North Coast railway line, New South Wales

North Coast railway line
Grafton Bridge opened over the Clarence River in 1932
Overview
Status	Open
Owner	New South Wales Government Railways (1905–1915) Department of Railways (1915–1972) Public Transport Commission (1972–1980) State Rail Authority (1980–2003) RailCorp (2003–2020) Transport Asset Holding Entity (2020–present)
Locale	Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales
Termini	Maitland Brisbane Roma Street
Service
Type	Heavy rail
History
Opened	6 November 1905 (1905-11-06)
Technical
Line length	795 km (494 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map Showing distance in km from Central station, Sydney Legend 193 Maitland ( Main North line ) 195 Telarah Walka Water Works 199 Oakhampton Hunter River 203 Mindaribba Ardrie 213 Paterson Rail Motor Society Paterson River 219 Martins Creek Martins Creek quarry Barokee 226 Hilldale Wallarobba Tunnel 232 Wallarobba 238 Wirragulla 245 Dungog Williams River Dingadee 254 Monkerai Monkerai Tunnel Nooroo 267 Stroud Road Dewrang 278 Weismantels 283 Wards River 291 Craven Stratford colliery 295 Stratford Avon River 302 Berrico 309 Gloucester Avon River 316 Yumbunga Bulliac Tunnel 324 Bulliac 334 Bundook 339 Somerset Manning River Bridge 342 Mount George Charity Creek 353 Kimbriki 355 Karaak Flat 360 Killawarra 367 Wingham Kolodong 378 Taree 387 Kundle Kundle 392 Melinga 403 Coopernook Moorland 418 Johns River Batar 433 Kendall 439 Herons Creek 446 Kerrewong Kerrewong Tunnel 455 Wauchope Hastings River 463 Pembroke Wilson River 472 Telegraph Point 483 Mingaletta 487 Kundabung Macleay River Bridge 504 Kempsey 515 Colombatti 520 Tamban 535 Eungai 544 Warrell Creek 552 Macksville Nambucca River 557 Wirrimbi Newee Creek 565 Nambucca Heads Peterkins School Platform 581 Urunga Kalang River 586 Raleigh Bellinger River 588 Repton Repton Tunnel Archville 596 Bonville 601 Sawtell 607 Boambee Beach 608 Coffs Harbour Red Hill No.1 Tunnel Red Hill No.2 Tunnel Red Hill No.3 Tunnel Red Hill No.4 Tunnel Red Hill No.5 Tunnel 620 Landrigans 623 Karangi 628 Coramba 633 Mellelea 640 Nana Glen ( Dorrigo line) 652 Glenreagh 664 Kungala 673 Lanitza 683 Braunstone 696 Grafton Clarence River 699 Old Grafton 706 Koolkhan 714 Kirran 717 Warragai Creek 728 Gurranang 739 Lawrance Road 743 Banyabba 757 Camira Creek Myrtle Creek 776 Rappville Coombell 794 Leeville South Casino 805 Casino Old Casino railway station ( Murwillumbah line) Nammoona 816 Fairy Hill Backmede Baraimol Kyogle 838 Kyogle North Kilgra Hermits Peak 847 Wiangaree The Cape 853 The Risk Mount Lion 863 Loadstone Treberth Cougal Cougal Spiral No.2 Tunnel Cougal Spiral No.1 Tunnel 875 Border Loop Border Tunnel 876 Queensland border 888 Glenapp 897 Dulbolla Beaudesert Shire Tramway Logan River 909 Tamrookum 931 Bromelton 938 Kagaru 957 Greenbank 972 Acacia Ridge freight terminal Queensland Rail Gold Coast line (3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge) Pradella Sidings Queensland Rail Tennyson line (3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge) 979 Clapham freight terminal Fisherman Islands line to Port of Brisbane 984 Park Road sidings Vulture Street tunnel 986 South Brisbane (Interstate) station (terminus 1930-1986) Brisbane River (Merivale Bridge) Riverside Expressway 988 Brisbane Roma Street Queensland Rail Main line (3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge) This diagram: view talk edit

The North Coast railway line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, Australia, and forms a major part of the Sydney–Brisbane rail corridor.

The line begins at Maitland and ends at Roma Street railway station in Brisbane, although freight services terminate at the yard at Acacia Ridge on the outskirts of Brisbane. Along the way, the railway passes through the towns of Dungog, Gloucester, Wingham, Taree, Kendall, Wauchope, Kempsey, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Urunga, Sawtell, Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Casino and Kyogle. After the standard gauge line ends at Acacia Ridge, it forms a dual gauge line into Brisbane, running alongside parts of the Beenleigh railway line.

Since the Main Northern Line was closed north of Armidale in 1988, the North Coast line is now the only route between Sydney and Queensland. With the closure of former branches to Dorrigo (1972) and Murwillumbah (2004) there are no operating branches off the line.

The Bonalbo branch from Casino was stillborn, with partial construction left incomplete.

At the NSW/Queensland border is a long tunnel called Border Tunnel, a single-track extending 1160 metres. Immediately south of it was Border Loop, a short crossing loop, which is now closed. About one kilometre south of that is the Cougal Spiral. These two locations are often confused.

The line is owned by the Transport Asset Holding Entity but leased to the Australian Rail Track Corporation until 2064.^[1][2][3]